Shoe tree or last.



No. 881,338. PAI'ENTB'D MAR. 10, 19.08.

' T., W. ros'r.

SHOE TREE 0R LAST. v APPLIOATION FILED JULY 30, 1904. RENEWED JULY 29 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TRUMAN W. POST, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO VENTILATING SHOE TREE (30., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.v

SHOE TREE OR LAST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Ifatnted March 10, 1908.

Application filed July 30, 1904, Serial N 0. 218,893. Renewed July 29, 1907. Serial No. 386,000.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, TRUMAN W. Posr, of Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, 7 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe Trees or Lasts; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in shoe trees or lasts, and is especially designed to restore and preserve the original form of the shoe when not in use, and I accomplish this object by placing the tree in the shoe as soon as the latter is taken off, so that while the shoe is yet warm and damp, the tree willshape it accurately and hold it in such shape and facilitate its drying out; this latter and most important feature of the invention is accomplished by providing the tree with numerous air channels or passages through which air can pass to all parts of the shoe. By placing such trees in the shoes while they are yet damp and warm the leather is stretched while in its most pliable state, and the ventilators or air passages in the trees establish free circulation of air throughout the interior of the shoe.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the preferred form of the ventilating tree. Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof. Fig. 3 is a modified form of such ventilating tree.

As shown in Fig. 1, the tree may be I formed of a front portion A, adapted to fit into the toe and instep part of a shoe or boot, and a heel portion B, which is connected to the portion A by a connection C, which may be of any of the well-known adjustable types, (this connection forming no part of the present invention,) to adapt the tree to various sizes and shapes of shoes. Through the ortion A may be a large air duct a, whic preferably extends toward the toe of the shoe and is located about within the center of this part of the tree. From the central duct a radiate a number of air passages or channels a, which lead in all directions to all parts of the tree so as to afiord ample ventilation. The heel part B has a duct 7), from which radiate a series of air passages b which are also numerous and extend to all sides of the heel portion so as to thoroughly ventilate that part of the shoe and permit ready drying thereof. The sole or bottom of the tree may also be provided with ven tilating channels or passages a in the part A, and passages b in the part B, so that the insole of the shoe will be dried and ventilated also. Dozens or hundreds of such ventilating or drying passages may be made in the tree so as to insure thorough and rapid ventilation and facilitate the drying out of all parts of the shoe when the tree is in place.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 the part A has a duct a, and the part B a duct 6, to ventilate the sole portion of the shoe, and instead of or in addition to the radial passages a, the parts A and B may be provided with external passages a and 6 respectively, which may be formed by grooving or kerfing the exterior surfaces of the tree. The passages a and b may be intersected by horizontal grooves a and b, respectively to further increase the ventilating surfaces. In any form of the invention the tree should be provided with suchnumerous air passages or ducts as to insure thorough ventllation and the rapid drying out of all parts of the shoe if moist; while at the same time the form of the shoe is not injured, and it will be kept in perfect shape while drying and at the same time be thoroughly ventilated.

The advantages of this ventilating tree over the ordinary solid trees are manifest; the latter retain the moisture in the leather and the shoe becomes foul, and the leather soon deteriorates, while with my trees the leather is quickly dried while held in proper shape, and the shoes are kept clean and in a su erior condition.

.aving thus "described my invention, I claim:

1. A form or tree for drying boots and shoes provided with a series of intersecting air-channels on its outer surface, and a central air-duct communicating with the said air-channels, substantially as described.

2. A two part drying form for boots and shoes having an adjusting connection between said arts, and provided with a series of intersecting air-channels ,on the outer surface thereof, and a series of internal air-passages radiating from one or more central airducts, and communicating With the air-channels, substantially as shown and described. 1

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

TRUMAN V. POST. Witnesses:

FLORA H. PEABODY, ED. CooLmeE. 

